This invention relates to a semiconductor wafer transporter for transporting a wafer between a carrier for storing semiconductor wafers and a processor for performing wafer inspection, examination, working, etc.
When visual inspection, patterning, etc. is performed for a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor wafer transporter is generally used. The semiconductor wafer transporter includes: a carrier placement bed (tray) for placing thereon a carrier in which a large number of wafers are stored; and a transport mechanism for taking out a wafer from the carrier placed on the placement bed and transporting the wafer to the processor for performing inspection, patterning, etc. In this type of transporter, the carrier is placed so that a wafer outlet faces the transport mechanism such as air tweezers, etc.
In a small-sized transporter for use with macro inspection and microscopic examination of wafers, a carrier has a wafer outlet which faces the operator or which is directed laterally with respect to the operator in order to efficiently transport wafers to an inspection instrument placed immediately before the examiner and in order to make a transport mechanism small in size as much as possible.
By the way, with recent development in wafer manufacturing technology, the wafer size has become large in diameter. As the diameter grows, the carrier storing a large number of wafers is also upsized and increases in weight. Thus, when placing the carrier on a placement bed, normally the operator holds both side faces of the carrier with both hands. However, with the device having a wafer outlet directed laterally, the carrier must be placed thereon with the wafer outlet turned; this handling increases the risk of dropping a wafer. Further, it is hard for the operator to hold the carrier with both hands and direct the wafer outlet laterally.
To place the carrier on the placement bed most safely and easily, the wafer outlet should be made to face away from the operator. However, if the transporter is designed so that the wafer outlet away from the operator, the transport mechanism for transporting a wafer to an inspection instrument placed immediately before the examiner becomes complicated, and the whole transporter becomes upsized. The transporter also becomes expensive.